HL Deb 20 March 2002 vol 632 c157WA
Baroness Anelay of St Johns

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures they are taking to promote health tourism at spas in the United Kingdom; and [HL3130]

What estimate they have made of the contribution of health tourism at spas to the economy of the United Kingdom. [HL3131]

The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone)

The Government's intention to promote innovative niche markets, such as health tourism, was set out inTomorrow's Tourism. The English Tourism Council has also recently published, Health Benefits: the market opportunities for health tourism in England, which highlighted the potential for growth of health tourism in the UK. The report identified that health tourism is worth £6 billion a year, £1.4 billion of which comes from spa breaks.